Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-12-20


Last year the mines of the United
States yielded, according to govern
ment computation, s39,0oo,ooo in sill
yer. For several years the whole
power of government, backed by the
National banks of the east and a pow
erful press, has done its utmost to
destroy silver as money and consign
it to the realms of merchandise.
But here comes the treasury secre-
retary's report, and the figures must
seem astounding to the gold sharps
of the country. They show that the
people drew from the treasury and
put IN circulation during the year
ending July l, 1887, of subsidiary
silver, s5,l33,795, OF silver dollars,
slo,464, 9o5; of silver certificates,
$72,597, 1872, or grand total of $685.
la6,432. That is, despite the walls
that we have heard ever since the
Bland law, now nine years passed,
that the coinage of 25,0oo,0o0 silver
dollars would positively destroy the
business of the country this year, or
next, or at the furtherest year after
ncxt,the stubborn people actually, last
year, drew from the treasury, Of the
hated stuff, more than double the
yield Of all the mines for the year;
drew it, used il as money, and have
not yet awakened from the delusion.
But that is not all. Though there
were very heavy appropriations of gold,
in addition to the yield from the
mines, in the same period, the people
only drew from the treasury in gold
coin, sS3, f95, 34a, in gold certificates
t3,640, 1898, in legal tenders, $1,000.
259; or total Of t65,243,999, or
t22, 1852, ABS less than that Of the
hated silver. Again, in that time,
the circulation OF national bank notes,
though the banks were increased by
ls4 during the year, fell off $36, 592,-
727. Does it not look as though after
all there was an instinct among the
people that silver is just as precious
metal as gold; that it suits them
just as well, aud that all the warfare
upon the white metal has been but a
stupid robbery? The amount OF sill
yer used last year was equal to the
coinage Of three years past. Now,
suppose instead of buying what was
bought, the government had, last year,
determined to cease buying and to
leave the coinage 10 the discretion OF
the treasurer, but had ordered the
government treasury, minis and assay
offices To receive all American silver
bullion offered, and to receipt for it
in silver certificates, what trouble
would have been experienced by the
pIan2 And would not the plan have
certainly advanced the price OF silver
at least ten points? II the people
last year wanted twice as much silver
as the mines yielded, without allow
iug anything tor the arts, il they
wanted twice the amount to use "a,
money alone, where is the foundation
for all the apparent apprehension o.
grand smash one Of these days? j
with one hundred and eighty four new
national banks added to the list las
year, tho circulation Of the nationa
bank paper fell thirty-six and one
half millions of dollars, and il III,
friendless silver dollars were taker
up and used TO the extent of ovei
eighty-eight millions, why not con
clude that the judgement of til,
world for four thousand years was
after all right, and that as back ing
for the paper Of the government
there is nothing better than silvei
bars?--t Salt Lake Tribune.